


Old Friends Not Forgotten

by for_darkness_shows_the_stars



Series: What Comes After [8]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang (Avatar) is a Cinnamon Roll, Angst, Appa is a Friend not a Pet, Dancing, Fluff, Gen, Katara's not in this but she's badass anyway, Mentions of genocide, What do you mean Kuzon with the dancing is the AvaTAR?!, a dash of, bc ... air nomads, or should I call it Aangst?, pre Aang/On Ji maybe?, the footloose episode gets a part two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27618539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_darkness_shows_the_stars/pseuds/for_darkness_shows_the_stars
Summary: On his way to the Fire Nation Capital, Aang happens upon an old friend.
Relationships: Aang & Appa (Avatar), Aang & On Ji (Avatar)
Series: What Comes After [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981828
Comments: 5
Kudos: 118





	Old Friends Not Forgotten

**Author's Note:**

> On Ji, On Ji, On Ji ... a character I would've LOVED to see more of. 
> 
> Ah ... I feel obligated to give a comment on 'the Headband', particularly the whole 'no dancing' thing. So I'm gonna be blunt--it's stupid.  
> Dancing has, historically, always been a social tool. Even in the STUFFIEST, most REPRESSED societies, dancing is A THING, because it allows fostering connections and meeting new people under the watchful eye of chaperones, etc ...  
> So ... fine. I'll accept that Sozin forbade dancing to ... like, peasants. But there's no way in hell that nobles don't dance. Except it's not the whole ridiculousness Aang showed off on the party, but rather something a la the waltz. 
> 
> That being said ... enjoy!

Aang didn't _intend_ to return to the same place—he could swear he didn’t. It just sort of … happened. He was on his way to the Caldera, for Zuko’s birthday. Because apparently, the Firelord’s birthday was a national holiday in the Fire Nation. Man, he wished someone would think of something similar for the Avatar. Unlike Zuko, who had no problem expressing his utmost disdain of the whole affair in his letters, Aang would actually _appreciate it_.

He supposed that Avatar Day back in Chin village was still a thing, but … if someone does make his birthday a holiday, he would make sure the food is better than raw dough. Because that was horrible.

The winters in the Fire Nation were grey and humid, showered by constant rains. The days were shorter, the sunshine paler, the weather colder. But temperatures have never bothered Aang. Growing up among the high peaks of the Southern Air Temple, heating himself up using only his airbending was one of the first things he had ever learned to do. By now, having travelled all around the World, it was pretty much instinctive.

And here he was, yet again, because Appa was exhausted, and they needed to stop and rest. They settled in that same cave that they had stayed in the first time around, Aang’s way of honouring the old times. Without his friends, it seemed significantly less welcoming, though.

A spark shot out of his fingers lit the tinder and dry branches he’d gathered. He wasn’t much of a chef, but soon, thin jook was cheerfully cooking. As its smell filled the cave, he leaned back on Appa, running his fingers through the bison’s soft fur end eliciting pleased growls, fantasising about the cooks in the Palace.

“What do you say, Appa?” he huffed. “Are you going to enjoy all the hay you can possibly eat?”

Appa let out a soft growl.

“I agree completely,” Aang said sagely, as Momo nestled closer to them. “You really are wise beyond your years.”

“Oh! Sorry! I didn’t know anyone would be here …” He turned to the source of the sound to see a young girl standing at the mouth of the cave. She was dressed in Fire Nation reds, her dark bangs cut straight over her brow, and the rest of her hair gathered into a tall ponytail. “A— _the Avatar?!_ ” she stammered.

“On Ji?” Aang asked, leaping up from Appa. “Is that you?”

On Ji’s eyes—because it was her, if a few months older than when he had seen her last, in this very cave—grew wide, mouth dropping open.

“How do you know my name?” she asked weakly. “Um … Avatar?”

“On Ji,” Aang said, grinning and running towards her. He took her hands into his own. “It’s _me_! Erm … I guess you knew me as Kuzon.”

On Ji’s head snapped up, and he saw her clever eyes assessing him, marking his bald head, the blue arrows etched into his skin, the oranges and yellows of his robes. And the grey of his eyes, the familiar face.

“Kuzon … what?”

He smiled sheepishly. “It’s Aang. I … ah, me and my friends were sneaking through the Fire Nation on our way to the capital when we met you.”

“The capital? You mean … for the invasion?”

 _Monkeyfeathers_.

He didn’t know her political standing—if she was pleased by the War’s end, or if her parents were Ozai loyalists. If she had friends or family in the military, friends and family Aang and _his_ family might’ve killed. His stomach lurched at the thought.

“Yes,” he said carefully, dropping his hands. “Not that it worked.”

“I see,” she said quietly. “Well … I guess it makes sense how you knew the dances from a hundred years ago … and …” she paled, looking down. “That the … the Air Nomads had no army.”

“Yeah,” Aang said quietly. “We didn’t.”

“Look … I know it doesn’t really mean anything, coming from a Fire Nation citizen, but … I am so sorry.”

There was something hard and heavy in Aang’s throat, as warmth prickled at his eyes. “Yeah …” he said quietly. “I’m sorry too. But … it’s not your fault. It’s Sozin’s, and the people who followed him, and—” he cut off. “It’d be unfair to blame you.”

She breathed in. “For what it’s worth … thank you. My aunt was in the military, and now she is back home, safe. And … and for teaching us a little bit of freedom.”

Aang smiled softly. “I was glad to help. Before I … before everything, I had friends all over the World. Even the Fire Nation.” He ran a hand over his head. “I mean, Kuzon, the name I used … he was one of my best friends. I don’t even know what happened to him. For a while, I hoped he might still be alive, but …” he shrugged. “If he was, I’d hoped he’d want to meet again. And he hasn’t, so …”

On Ji looked at him, eyes wide and full of understanding. “I’m sorry.”

Aang shrugged. “I’m sure he’s in a better place now. And the monks always taught me that death is only a transition in state. He’s still with me, I’m sure.”

“That sounds very beautiful,” On Ji admitted.

“It is,” Aang said.

“I sometimes come here,” On Ji explained after a heavy silence, stepping deeper into the cave. “To remember. I didn’t expect to find anyone here, much less Kuzon … or the Avatar.”

Aang rubbed at the back of his neck. “Yeah … I’m actually on my way to Caldera. For Zu—the Firelord’s birthday party, you know? Appa—” he pointed towards the bison, “was exhausted, so we had to stop.”

On Ji approached Appa carefully. “I _have_ heard that the Avatar flies around on a bison,” she said thoughtfully. She extended one hand towards Appa’s fur, silently asking for permission. Aang took it, and pressed it up against the bison. “He’s so _soft_!” On Ji exclaimed.

“Appa is more than just a bison. He’s my spiritual guide … and my oldest friend.”

“So, the town is just a pit stop?” she asked. “You didn’t mean to visit?” Her tone was carefully neutral, and Aang suddenly felt inadequate, like he’d failed yet again. His throat went dry.

“I’m just kidding,” On Ji said, chuckling. “I think being the Avatar is quite a job … no-one would blame you for being too busy to visit.”

“Yeah …” Aang said softly. “I … I also had no idea how everyone would react. To me being the Avatar, I mean.”

On Ji hummed. “Yeah, I get what you mean. But honestly? Mostly I’m surprised I didn’t connect it on my own. You weren’t exactly inconspicuous.”

Aang chuckled nervously. “In my defence, I was kind of dragged into a school in the middle of enemy territory.”

“Yeah …” On Ji said. “And instead of running away, you returned _tomorrow_.”

“I taught you all to dance, didn’t I? So it must’ve meant something.”

Her hand stilled on Appa, and she turned to look him fully in the eyes. “It meant _everything_.”

“Oh,” Aang said, taken aback by the fierceness of her gaze. “I’m glad.”

On Ji chuckled. “Well, Avatar … what do you say to one more dance? For old times’ sake?”

* * *

Dancing with Kuz— _Aang_ was different than it had been a few months ago. There was no music this time. Just the two of them, and the crackling of fire. His moves were fluid and quick, perfectly measured, his stance one of a trained warrior. On Ji would have felt clumsy in comparison, if she wasn’t having so much fun. Aang taught her new moves, giving them increasingly sillier names.

Once they were both too tired to continue, they shared lunch.

“This was cool,” she admitted to him. “Whatever happens next, I’m glad to have met you again.”

“Actually …” Aang said, scratching at his neck, “I was wondering if … if you’d come with me. To the Caldera.”

Her jaw dropped.

“It would only be for a few days, and … there would be dancing. Not like this, though. The actual fancy dancing that the nobles do.”

“You … you’re inviting _me_. To the capital. To one of the most exclusive events in the Fire Nation?”

He smiles sheepishly. “Yes?”

On Ji looked down. “Wow. You are aware there are minor nobles who would _kill_ for an invitation?”

A nervous laugh. “I sure hope not. It’s just a party.”

On Ji shook her head. “A party _the Firelord_ and the entire upper tier of the nobility will be present on. I can’t even begin to list all the reasons why that’s important.”

“Zuko’s cool,” Aang protested. “I mean, once you get past the tough exterior, he’s a softie.”

“I cannot even begin to unpack that statement … anyway, my point is, what you’re offering me is beyond unbelievable.”

“So you’ll come.”

Her shoulders hunched. “I’d _like_ to.” She gave him a grin. “Imagine the bragging rights at school! But … I have no idea if my mum and dad are going to let me.”

Aang blinked.

“What?” On Ji said, frowning.

“I’m sorry, it’s just …” He exhaled a loud breath and cackled.

“What?”

“I’ve never … I guess I kind of forgot about the whole parents thing. My friends and I … well, we never had to deal with that.”

“What do you mean?” On Ji asked.

Aang shrugged, and started counting them all on his fingers. “Sokka and Katara’s dad was away when I met them, fighting in the War. I think their grandmother let them go, or …” he smiled sheepishly. “Knowing Katara, she probably informed her grandmother she was going and didn’t really need any permission. Anyway … Toph and Zuko kind of joined us … ah, in spite of their parents’ protests …” On Ji snorted. Yeah, she imagined Ozai was just _thrilled_ when his own son defected. “And Suki has been an orphan her whole life. So …”

“I get it,” she said quietly. “Wow … I guess the War really took a toll on all of you guys.”

“Yeah,” he replied. “It has. But it’s over now. And … I think we can do better.”

She bowed her head. “I don’t … I’ve never lived a world in which there’s no war … no-one has. How do we do it?”

Aang seemed to shrink. “I guess we’ll have to learn together.”

They fell into heavy silence, which On Ji felt compelled to break.

“So … I may not be allowed to go without my parents’ permission … but we can get that.”

Aang perked up. “We can?”

She couldn’t help but grin at the excitement on his face. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “We can.”

* * *

When On Ji arrived home, she steeled herself before going into the sitting room.

“Hey, sweetie,” her mum said, raising her eyes from the scroll in her hands. “How was your walk?”

“I met someone,” said On Ji, and Mum perked up immediately.

“Oh?”

“Yeah …” she bit into her lip. “Do you remember when we were all arrested for dancing?”

Mum’s brow shot up. “I do.”

“Well … do you remember the kid from the colonies who taught us to dance?” She swayed gently at the balls of her feet, picking at her palms.

Mom nodded. “What was it? Kizu?”

“Kuzon.”

“I take it you’ve met Kuzon again, then?” Mum asked, with a warm smile.

On Ji smiled sheepishly. “Kind of?”

“Oh?”

“Kuzon’s not his real name. It’s …” She took in a deep breath. “It’s Aang.”

She could see the revelation unfold on Mum’s face—confusion, recognition, bafflement. “Aang?” Mum asked at last, sounding a bit choked.

“Yeah … _the_ Aang.”

“I see …” Mum said, twisting her hands together. “That’s not all, is it?”

On Ji smiled. “I … may have invited him for dinner?”

* * *

Once the sun had set, Aang knocked on the door On Ji had described for him. It was opened by a young man who looked markedly like On Ji.

“Welcome, Avatar,” he said, bowing at the waist and letting his hands form the Flame. Aang returned it in kind.

“It’s an honour to be here. You must be Mongke. On Ji told me a lot about you.”

Mongke might have been caught off guard by Aang’s knowing his name, but he didn’t let it impede his pleasantness as a host. He let Aang in, and led him to the dining room, where the rest of the family waited.

On Ji was there, dressed in a pretty red outfit, her hair out of its usual ponytail and in a topknot. She smiled at him before he was swept into meeting the others.

He gave On Ji’s mother, Quiza, a tall, stately woman with thin lips and dark amber eyes the bouquet of fire lilies he’d picked himself, shook hands with On Ji’s father, Mazu, and bowed to Naoki, Mongke’s fiancée.

“So,” asked Quiza, after they had sat down to eat, and Aang was thrilled to discover the dinner was vegetarian, “what brings you to this corner of the Fire Nation, Avatar Aang?”

“Actually, I’m on my way to the Caldera, for the Firelord’s birthday,” he said.

“Ah, of course,” replied Mongke.

“Actually …” he and On Ji exchanged looks, “there’s something we’ve been meaning to ask you …”

“Aang invited me to go with him,” On Ji said quickly. She was met with a wall of silence as her family’s heads swivelled to her in perfect unison. “To the Caldera.”

“On Ji ..”

“It’d only be a week or so,” she said.

“Depends on the winds,” Aang interjected.

“And I _want_ to go! You know how prestigious that ball is! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“I understand you would want to go, Ji-ji,” Kizu said slowly, “but this isn’t one of your friends’ parties on the other side of town. The capital is so far away, and that’s not even touching on the people who will be there.”

“I _know_ all that,” On Ji said heatedly. “I know. It’ll be all the rich, snobby nobles from all around the Homeland—actually, the entire World. And I was invited personally by the _Avatar_.” Her tone softened then. “Please, Dad. Aang won’t be the only person I know there, anyway. And I can wear the dress I’ve bought for Mongke and Naoki’s wedding.”

Naoki frowned. “That dress is pretty, Ji-ji, but nowhere near appropriate for such a setting.”

“I’m sure we could get you a new dress in Caldera,” Aang cut in. “We’d be arriving early anyway, and Sokka loves shopping. He always makes sure to go on at least one shopping spree that Zuko pays for.” He grinned. “Sokka calls it war reparations.”

“I think you should go,” Mongke said, after the family collectively processed _that_ bit of information. “I mean, everyone knows court balls are tiger-viper’s nests, but you’re still young, and it’s not like you have any power anyone would try to exploit. Like you said, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

He grinned. “ _Plus_ , can you imagine what the kids at school will think?”

“I know!” On Ji said excitedly. “They’ll bug me for details for months to come!”

“Perhaps this isn’t a decision that can be so lightly made,” Quiza cut in elegantly. “We will think on it.”

* * *

Tomorrow, On Ji joined him on Appa, flying towards the Caldera.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I actually have written the events of Zuko's birthday, and will be posting that in a few days, so stay tuned, I guess.
> 
> [Tumblr.](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/stars-and-darkness)


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